Let's Define Another Loosely Used Term Around Here - Dipping

Now this has been helpful! I agree with carl and John1 that maybe we should call it stripped when acid is used. What made the subject more aggravating is that there are a couple of folks in the grading section who use the term often that I suspect have no clue what it means. They just throw the term out there because they see other folks use it. No one learns anything in those cases.

Acetone removes organic material which is not part of the original coin, while dips alter the surface of the coin by removing part of the original coin material.

Below is a coin that had cardboard glued to the coin. The dark area on the wing is where the cardboard was glued to the coin. I soaked the coin in acetone for about 4 hours and removed the cardboard and glue, then another 4 hours to see if the stain would come off. Once I determined that the stain was not going to come off with acetone, I left the coin alone. This is an example where removing the organic material helped the coin.

Would a coin that is "dipped in acetone" be designated with a clean details grade from a TPG? or an acceptable clean with a straight grade from a TPG?

If it was dipped in acetone without any cloth rubbing the answer is YES. I would grade straight because it only removes organic matter and doesn't strip a layer of metal from the coin.

So just to make it absolutely clear:

Acceptable: an acetone soak WITHOUT any rubbing with a cloth is fine.

Unacceptable: an acetone soak followed by rubbing with a cloth is unacceptable because it creates hairlines and removes metal from the coins surface.

Does anyone disagree with this statement or does it need to be worded better?

Mike, I don't think the definition of market acceptable cleaning could be made anymore clearer. If you still don't get it, do this:

Take a junk coin from your collection and dip it in acetone without wiping. Note the results.

Next take another junk coin and dip it in acetone and wipe it with a rag to shine it up. Note the results.

Finally, take another junk coin and dip it in the acid-based jeweler's cleaning stuff that others have mentioned on this thread and note the results.

I think you need to visualized the results of the experiment before you fully understand the difference. I can't imagine that another member could explain the difference any better than what has already been written on this thread.

If you have PVC on a coin, it will be rejected by TPGs. They look for it and can spot minute amounts - as I watched a fellow Barber half collector from eons ago trying to complete all in XF45 have several returned for PVC present.

If you have PVC on a coin of any worth to you (sentimental or financial), it would behoove you to learn about acetone baths and proper removal of the green slime before it erodes into your coin and causes permanent damage

And then avoid using the holders for your own coins that cause the issue in the first place. Mylar flips are the best if you store coins that way and not in albums.

Much more could be said, but acetone is not considered a 'dip' solution as has been stated above multiple times.

There are many other methods of 'cleaning' that are not dipping and beyond this topic of discussion - like wiping mentioned by the OP

When I clean ("conserve") a coin, muy goal is to make it so that it cannot be told it was changed from being substandard. I did this once with a 1931-S penny and it was then slabbed as MS. I used Heinz 57 - no kidding. But its a very slow, very cautious process. "Conservation" as we have now come to call it since the TPGs started cleaning coins and needed a new term, is not something magic. It takes trial and error on non-important stuff to see what works. I am still learning.

Yes, I rinsed the 31-S in distilled water for quite some time and then used acetone to make sure nothing organic was left. Heinz 57 is an old trick for restoring mint luster on some cents. Sometimes it works and sometimes not.